<p>I understand from schools that D has visited that the nursing students have to buy lots of extras, like a nurses' watch with a second hand, a stethoscope, and a Blackberry or PDA to load certain applications used by the school. I'd like to give her some of these extras as a gift before she starts school, but I'm not sure whether they are so individualized that she's going to have to pick them out herself. </p>
<p>I started browsing for stethoscopes, and found some pretty cool ones in colors and with graphics for around $85. Are nursing students allowed to buy those, or should they stick with the basic one offered in the college bookstores? There isn't much of a price difference, but I don't have a clue about quality differences. Same thing with watches - I see a lot of basic watches with vinyl straps in the nursing supply catalogs, and a few with stainless steel straps. (I doubt she'd be interested in the ones that clip onto a uniform.) </p>
<p>What tools may start her off right, and last through a 0-4 program?</p>
<p>Stethoscope…I doubt the school will require a specific one…I have a Littmann master cardiology and really like it…but it is pricey/high quality…after trying some other cheaper ones I realized I could hear through them just fine too… if you’re looking in the $85 price range then it is probably fine…</p>
<p>My school gave us all PDA’s… but we were the 1st class they did that with…and I don’t know that is normal…If our battery ran down then all of the programs erased and had to be reset up… including the platform…that was 4 or 5 years ago…hopefullly they have improved…I’m getting ready to go back to hospital nursing so have thought about getting another one so I could have a drug manual at my finger tips</p>
<p>Yes she will want a watch with a second hand…whether that be with dials or digital…needs to be big enough to read easily…other than that it does not matter…She will do LOTS of hand washing…so as long as it is water resistant she will be okay there.</p>
<p>I didn’t have too many gagets… Here is what I had</p>
<p>Stethoscope
Watch
PDA - really didn’t use it much
penlight (more than 1/don’t last long)
Pocket saver (put tools, little money, and id in…goes right into nusing scrub pockets)
Small pair of bandage scissors
Forceps (hemostat) I didn’t have a pair in school but are nice to have (can use them to clamp a line while changing something)
Caliper (although she wouldn’t need this until much later in the course…used for measuring ecg waves - some students never bought/or needed them)</p>
<p>^^^
You might want to hold off on the equipment either way. I doubt that nursing students will need most / any of it until they actually start clinicals, which even in most 0-4 schools won’t be until at least the sophomore year. I’m sure which ever school your daughter chooses will give you an equipment / supply list and when it needs to be purchased.</p>
<p>I know it would make a fun gift but I would suggest waiting. For my d it was sort of a rite of passage for the sophomores to go get their stethoscopes and scrubs for clinicals - they went in groups of friends. A watch would be a nice gift though - any watch with a second hand will do.</p>